First Drive: 2019 Aston Martin V8 Vantage

PORTIMAO, Portugal — The shade of lime green splashed across the Algarve International Circuit’s paddock is not what Aston Martin apologists, or average blokes for that matter, would call beautiful. The hue is a peculiar mix of highlighter-yellow and acid green, a visual shock clearly intended to provoke—not unlike the sharply creased silhouette of the new V8 Vantage that represents Aston’s second salvo at modern reinvention. For a company that’s only seen two years of profitability in its 105-year history, the time is nigh for the seasoned marque to find a new voice. Though the DB11, introduced in 2016, was kissed with a touch of contemporary design language in the form of aerodynamic curlicues and a subtly pointed tail, it also kept a foot planted in the grand touring vernacular intended to satisfy the tweedy old world set. So far the efforts have paid off for Aston, with the DB11 fueling a meteoric turnaround in revenue last year. But now is a critical time to expand the repertoire and engage a younger, more daring demographic. Now is the time for the V8 Vantage. Playing the role of the DB11’s mischievous little brother who just might have been sired by the randy milkman, the V8 Vantage is out to crash the Porsche/Bentley/Mercedes-AMG rager and hopefully not end up in the corner wearing a lampshade hat. It’s a car Aston aims squarely at the mighty Porsche 911—one of the most enduring, incalculably honed sports car stalwarts in automotive history. No big deal, right?… [Read full story]